What Are Birth Injuries and What Causes Them?

Any injury a child suffers at the time of delivery comes under the category of birth injuries. But it is important to note that birth injuries are different from birth defects. The reason is that birth defects, for the most part, are caused by either a genetic condition or toxic exposure in the womb. Moreover, a birth injury is mainly caused by complications arising during delivery.

According to estimates, around 7% of babies born in America have some sort of injury at the time of delivery.

Whenever a child is born, he or she is likely to have natural contractions and contortions related to childbirth. For a little baby, the process of delivery itself is way complicated as well as challenging. So, special care is needed on part of doctors to prevent such injuries.

Factors that may increase the chances of injury during birth include premature birth, unusually big baby or irregularities in the pelvic of the mother.

Unfortunately, birth traumas can also occur due to some kind of medical negligence or malpractice during labor or delivery. Let us take an example to elaborate it further. Delivery aids like forceps and vacuum extraction come under the banner of medical malpractice. The improper use of this equipment can cause injury to the baby or the mother.

Birth injuries can also occur if the pregnant mother has consumed prescription medicines or is exposed to deadly chemicals in the workplace during delivery.

A new prescription medicine is known as SSRIs. This is a new drug made in order to treat depression and anxiety disorders. SSRIs have been used in order to target bulimia nervosa, obesity, personality disorder, compulsive disorder, alcoholism and stress disorder. The overuse of this medicine can also inflict an injury to the baby.

According to a study, results printed in an England journal discovered that whenever a woman consumes anti-depressant drugs like SSRIs, the chances of her having an injury are 6 times higher. One of the most common type of injury is PPHN, which is short for Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn. This is a debilitating condition and makes it hard for a newly born baby to breathe.